Date archive
2008
Posts originally published in 2008 from the RareVictorian collection.
Victorian Transitional Sidechair - Gothic Revival Meets Rococo Revival
Sometimes in the Victorian era of furniture making, you can see the confluence of two styles in one piece simultaneously as you can see with this sidechair to the right. Both Gothic Revival (spires, arches, crockets) and
Caille Eclipse Upright Antique Slot Machine
What I wouldn't give to have one of these antique slot machines sitting amongst my Victorian antiques in the parlor. I'm in the process of selling my ca. 1999 pool table whose removal will open a new swath of floor real
20 Foot Clawfoot Table
I thought that you might be interested in seeing a 20 foot clawfoot table that I captured from my camera phone in the Fry's electronics store in Los Angeles. The original marble top has been replaced with a modern glass
Mitchell & Rammelsberg Music/Map Rack
A quick mention that there is just a day left on a music/map rack on Ebay that bears the original Mitchell & Rammelsberg stencil. It's not often that you find these with their original maker names on them, let alone
Victorian Antique Furniture Books For The Holidays
If you need a relatively inexpensive gift for the holidays for a Victorian collector, the Victorian Antique book page is a good source for some ideas. Most of the links on the page are to Amazon.com which is a very effic
New York Neo-Classical Ebonized Cabinet
If I wasn't in cash-conserving home-rebuild mode I'd possibly snap up this excellent 1860s Neo-classical (Neo-Grec) cabinet. One can never have too many of these space-hogging extravagances. They cost even more than the
Antique Marble and Stone Identification
I've created an antique marble/stone reference below to provide us with a little more information on what types of stone and marble went into the furniture of the Victorian era. I've started this "reference" with images
Speaking Of Antique Brass ...
Antique Brass is a passion for many, and Zeke had mentioned in a comment that he'd like to see more mention of antique brass items on this site and I just happen to have the occasion to do so. I recently ran across this
Rare Victorian Visual Archive
Ever wanted to go back and see what posts have been on Rare Victorian in years & months past, looking for something? Try the new Rare Victorian visual archive page by clicking on the link in the far right column and
Photograph of George Hunzinger
I thought I'd share a photograph from a newspaper article on George Hunzinger that I received from RV regular Zeke. Thanks, Zeke.
Victorian Renaissance Revival Towel Rack
I try to avoid making my 1887 Victorian home a clutter-fest with all sorts of Victoriana dripping off of the walls and table surfaces. I have a bare minimum of art and some period statues, candelabras, Victorian wall she
Aesthetic Art Brass Plant Stands
During the Aesthetic Movement of the late 19th century, brass, lighting and silverplate manufacturers produced "Art Brass" furnishings as an extension of their existing business for middle-to-upper class families. They w
George Hunzinger Renaissance Revival Chair
This past weekend saw a pair of these George Hunzinger chairs go for $6,000 at auction and now there is a single chair currently seeing some bidding with six days left in the sale, above. It is currently bid up to $1,825
Update To Israel Fellows Post
I have updated the Israel Fellows post to reflect an important omission that I made when preparing the first posting. Thanks to a comment from Max Foote, I "reopened the investigation". I guess you could say we exhumed t
Graining Machines Simulate Hardwood Grains
Yes, something was awry with the dresser that I provided the image of in the last post and kudos to those commentators who spotted it. It was made ca. 1910 by the Arcadia Furniture Co. of Arcadia, Michigan using cheaper
Another Puzzler - Identify The Wood In This Dresser
Take a look at this dresser and give me your best guesses on the type of wood used in this piece. Answer will follow in the next posting.
Kimbel & Cabus Attributed Bedroom Suite
The printed Neal Auction catalog and NealAuction.com website has some additional substantiation that does not accompany the Ebay listing for the attributed Kimbel & Cabus bedroom set in their upcoming sale. I thought
How About An Alexander Roux Under Your Christmas Tree?
Not that it would fit under a tree, but go with me on this one. Drop some hints to your special other someone that you'd like a nice hunt sidebaord attributed to Alexander Roux or a few Belter chairs under the tree when
Antique Table Escapes From Jail
This Folk Art table from around 1900 is purportedly one that was made in a penitentiary in Kansas, possibly Lansing Penitentiary. Similar tables are in the Kansas State Historical Society and the Kansas Secretary of Stat
Grandview Sale Including High Museum Henkels Desk
Grand View Auction has several fine Victorian antiques in today's sale including this George Henkels desk, once exhibited in the High Museum. It is reminiscent of the desk and furniture in the Asa Packer Mansion. Other n
Gustave Herter Parlor Suite?
It's fun to see antiques put up for sale with low sale range estimates and see them hit prices 10-times what the auction house anticipated. Harlowe-Powell put a very conservative $2,500 top range price on this set which
I Thought Everyone Knew The Kenos?
I had to laugh when I saw this photo of Laura Bush with a caption stating that "Laura Bush speaks with an unidentified man". I'm surprised that they didn't say speaking with an unidentified man - and another unidentified
For The Record: J. W. Hamburger Prince Of Wales Chair
In another installment of "For The Record" on Rare Victorian where I feature the work of low profile makers of the 19th Century, I'm pleased to present what I strongly believe is a Joseph W. Hamburger Prince of Wales cha
Who Made This Chair?
There is museum evidence that helps attribute this chair to two possible makers. Stop by the forum to read about this chair, submitted by a site visitor. I have also added another feature to Rare Victorian - a quick refe
Rare Victorian Giveaway - Moorish Fretwork Issue Magazine Antiques
One of my favorite issues of the Magazine Antiques (and I have hundreds dating back as far as the 1930s) is the May 2005 issue with an article by Paul Tucker on Moorish Fretwork. As some of you may know, Paul is a regula
Daniel Pabst Free-For-All
There are seven - count 'em - seven "Pabst" pieces on Ebay right now and I wonder about how loosely the name is being bandied about for anything that resembles the style that he worked in. British architect Bruce Talbert
Global and U.S. Antique Popularity Trends
As a website owner, I use a lot of tools to assess traffic patterns on my sites, and while doing so recently, I decided that I could use one of them to roughly judge global and U.S. trends for the antiques industry. I wa
For The Record: Israel Fellows
I'd like to start a new feature on Rare Victorian, which I hope will last beyond this one post, called "For The Record". The aim is to profile some less prolific, less visible, or "lost" cabinetmakers from the Victorian
Pottier & Stymus Inlaid Ebonized Parlor Table
This parlor table is very similar to a table in the "Styles of American Furniture" book on page 67. There appears to be differences in the inlay wood choices resulting in a rosier (Rosewood) color to this table. The inci
Herter Brothers Ebonized Fall-Front Desk
Sloans & Kenyon out of Chevy Chase, MD will be putting the ebonized Herter Brothers desk to the right up for sale on November 16th. The back is stamped with the "Herter Bro's" moniker, so you can be assured that this
Lingerie Chest Signed Alexander Roux
I just noticed this signed Alexander Roux piece in today's Bob Courtney sale. It is always exciting to have a Roux piece bearing the original stencil of it's maker. The expected sale range reflects this importance ($15,0
10-Piece Belter Parlor Set at Bob Courtney November 8th
Bob Courtney Auctions has a sale coming up on on Saturday, November the 8th that will include the six brethren to the above four John Henry Belter side chairs. The complete set is being categorized as following Belter's
Centennial Benjamin Franklin Coat/Hat Rack
Many of the typical Victorian hat/coat racks that you find in antique shops these days are mass-produced, utilitarian pieces that are fairly unforgettable. This particular one features a projecting Benjamin Franklin as t
Victorian Architecture In ... Thailand
I'm currently on vacation in Phuket, Thailand but I stopped with my wife in Bangkok on the way and did a tour of the Royal Palace and clicked a few photos of Victorian-inspired architecture on the property - which I didn
William Fischer Hawaiian Kou and Koa Center Table
This koa and kou wood center table was made by William Fischer around 1869. A very similar table was ordered at the time by Governer Dominis. Dominis was an American-born statesman who became Prince Consort of the Kingdo
Mark Twain's Hawaiian Furniture - F. N. Otremba
Continuing on with the topic of Hawaiian carved furniture comes two pieces made by F. N. Otremba. Otremba was commissioned by the Hawaii Promotion Committee to carve a mantel for Mark Twain's new home, "Stormfield" in 19
Kilian Brothers Inlaid, Gilt-Incised, Ebonized Parlor Table
There's something about Kilian Brothers pieces that make them some of my favorites. Their heavy mix of ebonization, polychrome paint (in some cases), heavy use of gilt-incising and Neo-Grec styling is very appealing to m
Rosson House in Phoenix, AZ
While on business travel in Phoenix, AZ, a colleague suggested that we have dinner at the restaurant that Oprah anointed as the best pizza in America - Pizza Bianco. We waited 2 1/2 hours and we overheard that two women
Hawaiian Furniture And Cabinetmakers Of The Victorian Era
Aloha. Eh, howzit braddahs. Da kine. Wot, you neva kno Hawaii get planny Victorian furnicha over dis side of da kai? You tink we all jus set one okole on grass mats or wot? Den wop yo jaw cuz we get choke. An da best kin
Why Victorian Antique Furniture Gets A Bad Rap
Holy Moly. Now I know why people who aren't fans of Victorian antique furniture look at pieces from the period and condemn it's over-the-topness. Technically this piece is probably very late Victorian Renaissance Revival
Pottier & Stymus Egyptian Revival Two-Piece Parlor Set
Fotaine's has this two-piece Pottier & Stymus Egyptian Revival parlor set coming up for sale on October 18th. Of the P&S ER sets that were ever made, this is a more conservatively styled design without too much o
Stubby Finds a Home
Are there any independent film producers out there? I have a new movie title for you to produce, "Stubby Finds a Home". Probably more of a Disney flick than a Tom Cruise action flick. The new owner of the cut-down Rococo
Charles Tisch Aesthetic Inlaid Sofa
Neal Auction will be selling the above Aesthetic sofa in the remaining day of the Louisiana Purchase sale today. It is being attributed to Charles Tisch who was a cabinetmaker in New York starting in 1870, categorized hi
Neal Auction Louisiana Purchase Sale, October 11th
Note to Neal Auction: free advertising on Rare Vic for infinity if this cabinet finds it's way to my front door. Don't worry, it's a covered porch. Like they would need to bribe me since I blog about their sales anyway.
John Henry Belter Child's Chair
I would like to see one of these Belter youth chairs in person. I have a Belter slipper chair and it is diminutive; I can't imagine how tiny these chairs made for children would appear. At 27 3/4" tall, I could almost wa
Hunzinger-Palooza At Neal Auction
Neal Auction's upcoming sale will feature several pieces of George Hunzinger furniture, including the above sofa and a chair that would match it, were they to be upholstered in the same manner. I expect there to be a wid
Kimbel & Cabus Modern Gothic Armchair at Neal Auction
In my opinion, Neal Auction is being a bit conservative in their attribution on this chair. I'm always very appreciative of Neal's condition information and research that they provide with their listing and I feel they a
Pair of J & JW Meeks "Stanton Hall" Sidechairs
Although picking up a pair of Meeks Stanton Hall pattern chairs seems like it could never be a bad investment, that all depends on the price of the acquisition, and with this pair, the asking price of $4,400 is above whe
The Robinson Crusoe Sideboard
I just received my copy of the December 2008 Victorian Homes magazine (yikes, Christmas trees already) and within the "Antiques" column was this extravagant piece of Victorian furniture, the 12 foot Robinson Crusoe sideb
Yesterday's Fontaine Sale Encourages Me
I'm encouraged by some of the prices realized at the Fontaine sale yesterday. Here's a sampling of some of the healthy results: Meeks Hawkins sofa - $10,000 "Pottier & Stymus" Aesthetic Sideboard - $12,000 Meeks Rose
Rare Victorian "Special Finds" Changes
I've been offering an ancillary service here on Rare Victorian called "Special Finds". With it, I try to highlight pieces that may be lost in Ebay-land, either mis-priced, mis-identified, mis-categorized, or just plain l
Fontaine's Exceptional Antique Auction Sept. 27th
Plenty of high-end Victorian coming up in the Fontaine sale in a few days with all the usual suspects: Belter, Roux, Meeks, Jelliff, Baudouine, Pottier & Stymus, and Horner among others. The Meeks Hawkins pattern set
Allen and Brother Winged Griffin Desk
This desk is being attributed to the shop of Allen and Brother of Philadelphia and being dated to around 1875. I happen to have seen this desk in person - it sat in Adamstown, PA for a number of months and I drooled over
Are You Selling Yourself Short Selling On Ebay?
James Conrad and Steve Sika commented on a recent post about a pair of high-end Neo-Grec chairs that were being sold on Ebay (unsuccessfully) and I thought I'd move Steve's question into it's own post as it deserves some
Victorian Is Dead In Alexandria, VA
I spent a good part of the weekend in Alexandria, VA this weekend with some long-time friends for a certain milestone birthday bash, and on the way to their house my wife and I did some antiquing there near King Street.
Neo-Grec Herter Brothers or Pottier & Stymus Chairs
I don't run across fine Neo-Grec, ebonized, Rosewood chairs like these too often. Each chair has a bronze plaque in the back splat, one of a male figure and the other of a female. There is ample ormolu throughout the cha
Just Call Me Stubby
I love how the seller of this cut-down Rococo parlor table puts it in the listing: This WAS once a magnificent Victorian rosewood center table with turtle marble top. Somewhere down the line a long time ago, some rocket
Rosewood Rococo Revival Sofa With Carved Bird's Nest
I have a friend who can't pass up taking in needy animals (strays) which I can sympathize with and admire. I think she has about 11 cats by now? My mother has a more modest group of 3 stray cats in residence. I have a si
Possible Alexander Roux Rosewood Sofa
I had a late night delivery of my most recent purchase a few nights ago. No, it wasn't an Alexander Roux sofa ca. 1853 as is shown above. Picture six heavily-laden cardboard boxes being shuffled into the basement under c
September 13th Grand View Auction Victorian Furniture Overview
Grand View will have a little of everything Victorian in this upcoming sale on Saturday. The bed above will be up for sale and they are attributing it to Alexander Roux. I would be happy to pay within the expected range
Pottier & Stymus Neo-Grec Half-Tester Bedstead
Grand View has the Pottier & Stymus-attributed bedstead shown to the right in their upcoming September 13th sale. You don't get more straightforward Neo-Grec than this - a repeating Greek Key pattern surrounding the
Alexander Roux or George Henkels Rosewood Chair?
If you're in the Dallas area, the Dallas Auction Gallery is putting this laminated Rosewood chair up for bid and is attributing it to Alexander Roux. I haven't had anyone correct me on this yet as I count on you all to d
RJHorner.com Relaunched
I've redesigned and relaunched RJHorner.com and to celebrate, I've made the complete 1888 Horner catalog (actually more of a pamphlet) available online at the site. The drawing above is taken from the back cover. Details
19th Century Victorian Furniture in ... Sweden
No this isn't the predecessor to Ikea, but it is an interesting look into furniture designs in areas of the world other than the France, Italy, U.S., and U.K. that we're used to. This is an original catalog of furniture
John Henry Belter "Lincoln" Pattern
I ran into a listing for a Belter "Lincoln" pattern sofa and not having heard of that pattern before, I had to do some research. It happens that Lincoln had several pieces of Belter furniture in the White House during hi
Fine Aesthetic Movement Side Chair
I'm a big fan of all styles and eras of Victorian furniture and my interests even leak into the immediately preceding and following eras. Not wanting this site to be all about Renaissance Revival and Rococo, I'm always o
Metal-Clad Furniture Patent - An Alternative To Brass
Paul Tucker found what I believe to be the likely explanation behind this metal-clad armchair that was discussed several posts ago. Paul ran into a patent filed by Erastus W. Whitlock. A drawing included in the patent ap
Superb Renaissance Revival Bed Needs Some Work
This bedstead on Ebay will be sold by the time some of you read this but I thought I'd mention it due to the quality of the piece. It is a Renaissance Revival bed with 101" height and 75" length and not quite Queen width
Flomaton Auction August 29th
The Flomaton sale snuck up on me today since it isn't being conducted with an online Ebay bidding capability. There are several Victorian items up for bid including a few Belter chairs and the bed above, whose provenance
Pair Matched Robert Mitchell Throne Chairs
If you remember the recent post on the Robert Mitchell chair that I own, here's a matching pair up for sale from Bradford's Antiques. These chairs are a fun addition to any hallway or parlor. Oftentimes, if you can find
James D. Julia Antique & Arts Sale
James D. Julia is having their 21st annual summer sale and there is much in there for Victorian furniture fanatics. I've created a sampling of items that visitors of this site would be interested in below. Hover your mou
John Henry Belter Bill of Sale Update
A quick update on the Belter Bill of Sale that was in the previous post. The December 1998 issue of Magazine Antiques has an exhaustive article on this particular bill of sale, documenting the history of the furniture pu
Original 1855 John Henry Belter Furniture Order Receipt
Lise Bohm has shared with us an original 1855 receipt that she owns documenting a Belter furniture order by what appears to be Col. B. L. Jordan. I was unable to find anything documented on this Colonel. The order is for
Own a Piece of Herter Brothers - Vanderbilt History
If you are a Herter Brothers collector, here would be a special item to add to that collection. In 1879, Christian Herter began his "magnus opus, the William H. Vanderbilt residence on Fifth Avenue at Fifty-first Street.
Haunted House Stories - The Mysterious Glowing Toilet
The Ghostly Glow Make sure you wait until late tonight to read today's blog post and be sure to turn out all the lights before you do so ... Lights out? Ok, proceed. Our home was built in 1887 and like many old homes, it
This Sofa Is Flipping Us The "Bird" (Pattern)
When speaking of John Henry Belter and J & JW Meeks furniture, there are several "patterns" that were typically made by the makers as original designs or commissions for wealthy clients and subsequently produced agai
J. H. Belter or Meeks Rococo Sofa at James D. Julia
The sofa depicted above is coming up during James D. Julia's "Spectacular Maine Auction" on August 26th. I'll be profiling more of the delectable Victorian pieces in future posts as we near the sale, but let's talk about
Special Finds Updated 8/18/08
Special Finds was updated with Jelliff furniture for sale that matches those with provenance in the Newark Museum. Learn about Special Finds here or if you are a subscriber, go here.
Allen & Brother or Herter Brothers Bedroom Suite
I was contacted by the recent buyer of the above bedstead, which is part of a two-piece suite. There is no question it is a very desirable set and I'd be happy to have it in one of my bedrooms. It is constructed of solid
Nearly Identical Pair Of Rococo Bedsteads
If you've ever wanted a pair of Rococo style Victorian beds, QUEEN size no less, then this is your chance. There are minor differences in the carvings, but you can see that they appear to have come from the same shop, po
1857 Bembe & Kimbel U.S. House of Representatives Chair
Rare Victorian is please to offer for sale this original 1857 U.S. House of Representatives chair bearing the original stencil of it's maker, Bembe & Kimbel. It is identical in style to the chair that Abraham Lincoln
Labeled J. H. Crane Pier Mirror - St. Louis Furniture
I received this note from B.J. from "B and D Furniture with Generation Next Antiques" in St. Louis and thought it might be interesting to hear about a cabinetmaker from St. Louis, John H. Crane. John, Recently, I had the
Unusual Tin-Clad Victorian Armchair
No this isn't a high-end piece of Victoriana. This chair is "Rare" for another reason - that is not silver paint. This Victorian-era chair is clad completely in Tin and appears to have been done so originally. I've never
1870s Renaissance Revival Center Table
Here's an excellent marble top Ren Revival table that has been listed by yours truly. The recent Merklen restoration put me in a position of having one too many tables and I'm reluctantly selling this one. These days you
Collecting Victorian-Era Clocks
The world of Victorian antique furniture seems a bit slow right now so I thought I'd post a bit about another niche of collecting - clocks. To be honest, I use these clocks more for effect than for timekeeping. Who wants
Herter Brothers Eye Candy
I thought I'd share two photos of Herter Brothers pieces from my recent Philadelphia Museum of Art trip. You'll have to excuse the photography as it was with a camera that was foreign to me and since the Herters' pieces
Thomas Brooks Attribution Response From Philadelphia Museum of Art
I heard from Jennifer Zwilling at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the Thomas Brooks attribution basis for this sofa I recently posted about. I thank Jennifer for taking the time to respond and to do so with the amount
Video - Antique Rococo Revival Chair Crest Repair
Some good friends of mine asked for a recommendation on a repair shop and I mentioned to them that Rose Valley Restorations does good work for me, so they brought the chair to me to take in to John Hutchinson. This will
Allen and Brother Egyptian Revival Marble Top Table
This Egyptian Revival parlor table constructed by Allen and Brother is an impressive one. A table like this is shown in the May 1996 issue of Magazine Antiques and I wouldn't be surprised to know that the table's owner a
Charles-Guillaume Diehl - It Does Not Get Much Better
Another stop on my Philadelphia Museum of Art visit, this Neo-Grec jewelry cabinet was considered a "masterpiece" at the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867. This cabinet is still a show-stopper today and was manufactur
Philadelphia Art Museum Attributes Sofa To Thomas Brooks
I spent the weekend in antique mode (what else is new?) with Saturday spent at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Sunday spent perusing the antique stores of Adamstown, PA. The difference is that I did it all with some v
Solid Rosewood Rococo Side Chairs ... from Baltimore
I put a modest absentee bid on a pair of chairs coming up at auction. I knew from looking at the photo above that they were obviously Rococo with a rose on the crest and were pierce-carved. I wanted to go look at them in
Unusual Marble Top Rococo Table
I thought I'd share this somewhat unusual Rococo marble-top center table that I recently had the opportunity to purchase, which I didn't, due to the price being too high for today's market. The overall form is a round ce
Special Finds Updated - 7/31/08
Special Finds was updated with a sub-$1,000 set. Learn about Special Finds here or if you are a subscriber, go here.
Book Review: Rococo - The Continuing Curve, 1730-2008
I picked up a copy of Rococo The Continuing Curve and thought I'd pass on some thoughts about it, which you should realize come from the mind of an antique furniture collector who only dabbles very slightly (currently) i
Hunzinger and Merklen Reproductions
If you remember this post a while back, I spotted this chair that looked out of place and ran a contest to see who could figure out what was different about it. There were many responses in the comments section and many
Pottier & Stymus Egyptian Revival Set
Quick post to address some of the comments on the previous post: I now have the Egyptian Revival set by Pottier & Stymus in my possession and I've done some digging to see if the upholstery is original and based on a
Antiques Hit Hard Across The Board - Almost
As regular visitors to this site are aware, I've been watching the health of the Victorian antique market recently for concrete examples of this trend and I thought I'd take another quick glance at some fresh auction res
"Hand-Made" Victorian Furniture Does Not Mean 100% Hand-Made
I thought I'd share this excerpt from a 1980 dissertation by Page Talbot, "THE PHILADELPHIA FURNITURE INDUSTRY 1850 TO 1880". This dissertation was written to partially fulfill her requirements to achieve the degree of D
Another George Henkels Conundrum
I was watching this chair during the Neal Auction sale and was very interested in the notation that was added to the catalog and the lot detail on the Neal website that didn't make it into the Ebay text. I have provided
Joslin Hall Rare Books - Furniture & Cabinetmakers
For those of you who collect books on antique furniture and cabinetmaking, you may want to call Joslin Hall Rare Books and have them send you this catalog, number 313. It just arrived in the mail yesterday and it has 41
Tidwell Antique Auction - Kilian Brothers Table
Jerry Burrell gave me a heads up on an upcoming auction at Tidwell's in the "extreme Southeast corner of Oklahoma" and it appears they have an affinity for selling items from our favorite era. I have not previously heard
Meeks Pieces At Jackson Auction Today
I'm on the road again so Rare Victorian access is somewhat limited but I caught a window of time to mention that there are a few Meeks-attributed items going up for sale during a Jackson's Auction sale happening today. T
Video - Final Episode: Refinishing A Merklen Brothers “Shabby” Table
Well, the table is finished and it looks fantastic. In this final episode, John Hutchinson of Rose Valley Restorations in West Chester, PA explains the process that he, Kyle, and Bill followed to bring the table to this
I Feel A Bit Queasy
Somebody make me feel better about missing this cabinet for $1,500. I was asleep at the wheel on that one. As I stated in the earlier post, I would be watching the price on this as a temperature guage for the health of t
Neal Auction to Sell Another 1857 House of Representatives Chair
If you followed the drama of Kathie's chair identification here on Rare Victorian (Part I, II, III, and related posts IV, and V), you might be interested to know that Neal Auction is selling another of these original 185
J & JW Meeks Laminated Rosewood Marble Top Table
Ferrell Auction Co. is selling the above pierce-carved, signed, J & JW Meeks Rococo parlor table. We can date the table to 1836-1855 due to the 14 Vesey St. address included in the stamp. There is a wide range of pri
Video - Part III: Refinishing A Merklen Brothers "Shabby" Table
A quick update on the table's progress in this video. It is fully stripped and sanded and the quartersawn Oak shows in all it's bare glory. We select stain for the wood and paint for the griffins. Video Part I and Part I
Original Manufacturer Catalog Section Open!
I've christened a new section of Rare Victorian that will house Adobe Acrobat versions of original manufacturer catalogs that I have collected. Right now there is only one - The Dawley Furniture Company from 1897 - but h
Brunk Auctions New York Renaissance Revival Cabinet
Brunk Auctions will be putting up the above credenza on July 12th with an expected range $3,000-$6,000. These cabinets are a staple in the Victorian furniture auctions, yet to me they do very little more than provide a s
Video - Part II: Refinishing A Merklen Brothers "Shabby" Table
Here's Part II of the Merklen Brothers table refinish project. If you didn't view the first Part yet, I recommend you watch it first, here. In this episode, I'm in the shop of my favorite local furniture restoration busi
Gorham Leaded Glass Table Lamp - ca. 1903
I enjoy surrounding my antique furniture with antique lighting and if you are a collector lamps as well, you may be interested in this Gorham leaded glass table lamp. Gorham is not a name you hear often due to the scarci
John Jellif Furniture Prices Dropping or Anomaly?
I will be checking the results of the above attributed John Jelliff 4-piece parlor set after the July 12th Neal Auction sale is over. The 8-piece set that recently sold at Cowan's drew a disappointing $2,600. Maybe there
Rococo: The Continuing Curve, 1730-2008
Quick note to mention that Sunday will be the last day for the Exhibition at the National Design Museum titled, Rococo: The Continuing Curve, 1730-2008. Sure to be some John Henry Belter pieces among others. Has anyone s
Bembe & Kimbel Chair In Thaddeus Stevens Bronze Monument
If you followed the recent posts on Kathie's Bembe & Kimbel chair, you might be interested to see the chair as part of a recent bronze monument of Thaddeus Stevens created by George Mummert. I received a note from Ge
Antiquing Bycatch
In my spare time I like to fish on the Chesapeake Bay for Stripers, Bluefish, crabs and miscellaneous other fish in Tilghman, MD. From my vacation spot down there, I can paddle around and easily encounter what is termed
The Lengths I Won't Go To...
Guess who is the new owner of one of the chairs in the recent Henkels attribution drama. The lengths I won't go to to make sure Rare Victorian readers get the best information ... In reality, I have been wanting to own o
Attributing R.J. Horner Hall Chairs
I have a labeled Horner Hall or Throne chair (sometimes referred to as Savranola or "X"-Chair) and I have three other unlabeled chairs that share similar traits, so I'll document how I would come to the conclusion that t
A Couple of Updates
Vickypicker may have found a smoking gun to refute my assertion that the chair was made by George Henkels. I think I'll make definitive statements more often as it draws people out with their information. Please see the
Side Chair Manufactured by George Henkels?
It always gives me great pleasure to nail down a maker of a piece of furniture that we often see being sold as "attributed to" and be able to turn that into a definite "made by". No further need to attribute this chair t
Kathie's Bembe and Kimbel Stencil
Above is an image of Kathie's Bembe and Kimbel signature. The wood is indeed dry and the markings are worn, but it seems to be of the 928 Broadway variation. Hard to say from just this image, but that is my guess. Below
Special Finds Updated
I ran across a higher-end Aesthetic ebonized armchair with inlay and gilding in beautiful condition at a reasonable price for what it is. Subscribers can log in here to review the information. If you are unfamiliar with
1901 Robert Mitchell Furniture Co. Ad
An ad from 1901 for Robert Mitchell Furniture Co. showing the Roman chair like mine.
Robert Mitchell Furniture Co. Roman Arm Chair - 1904
I purchased a chair a year or so ago at a local auction to go along with my Horner hall chairs. I had previously seen this chair attributed to R.J. Horner and, considering the griffin carvings, I never thought twice abou
A Real Rare Victorian Mystery - Part III
Make sure you've read Part I and Part II before proceeding The Two Makers Theory On Friday, I was coming to a conclusion different than where I am today - that a strong possibility existed that Kathie's chair was made by
A Real Rare Victorian Mystery - Part II
Where we left off yesterday in Part I of this story was that I was noticing some differences between Kathie's chair and those that had previously sold at auction. The most prominent difference for me were the shield carv
Rosewood "Collectors Cabinet" Label
Grand View Antiques & Auction is selling a cabinet on June 21st that they are describing as a Rosewood Collectors Cabinet and are saying that it is a New York piece. Maybe an eagle-eye Rare Victorian reader can inter
A Real Rare Victorian Mystery
I get emails from site visitors all the time with items to show me and I enjoy reading the messages and looking at the images that they forward to me. I never tire of Victorian antique eye-candy. This particular message
Survey: Please Help Me Make Rare Victorian The Best It Can Be
Please help me continue to fine-tune Rare Victorian to the needs of it's visitors! I really care about what you think about the site and want to hear what you have to say about it - criticisms, suggestions, and praise! P
It's A Good Time For Rare Victorian Billiard Tables
John (AKA Woodwright) has sent me a message that I thought would fit well as a post on Rare Victorian. Little did he know that he had became the first guest-poster on RV ;-) John is a relatively recent addition to the co
The Victorian Humidor Project
Everyone needs at least one vice in their life to make things interesting and smoking cigars is one of mine. So what type of humidor would a Victorian Antique collector have? An antique quartersawn Oak humidor with tin l
Special Finds Has Been Updated
I ran into a mis-identified table, currently at $9.99 but there is a reserve. If you have subscribed, you can log in here to see it, and if you have not, you can read more about "Special Finds" here.
Video: Refinishing A Merklen Brothers "Shabby" Table
This will be the first of hopefully many video blog posts here on Rare Victorian in the future. I did end up rescuing the Merklen Brothers table from this previous post and I hope to capture the transformation on video f
Mitchell & Rammelsberg Ladies Workstand ~ 1863
I would get slapped if I brought this piece home today in 2008 and said, "honey, I bought you a workstand". Not that I would attempt to - but it's interesting to observe how times have changed in 150 years. This is a sta
Shabby Chic Merklen Brothers Table
As an owner of 4 Merklen tables and being a big fan of their work, I just about fell out of my chair when I came across this familiar Merklen table that has been completely painted - Pink. Thank goodness they saw fit to
Finally, Victorian Antique Furniture Has Sold For Big Dough
$847,004.00 for a Victorian Desk and Chair Too bad it wasn't on the merit of the furniture itself (and who made it) and instead had everything to do with who had previously owned it - Charles Dickens. It had descended th
A New Rare Victorian Feature - "Special Finds"
I've started a new feature service on Rare Victorian called Special Finds. It is a subscription-based service that provides members access to some of the discoveries I find when looking for Victorian furniture on the web
Heywood-Wakefield Round Stand #6381
For those of you who are Victorian wicker fans, here is a labeled Heywood-Wakefield table/stand being sold at no reserve. This table is in the catalog reprint from 1898-1899 and is their model #6381, "Round Stand". It is
Victorian Timewarp
I ran across this article about a man and his family that lived in a 150 year old, 17 room home untouched by time with no heat or electricity. His advice to friends and family to deal with the lack of heat: "move energet
Anyone Seen a Louis Ostlund Chair?
Paul Tucker contacted me to ask whether any of the Rare Victorian readers had ever encountered one of these 1894 patent Louis Ostlund chairs. Please comment at the bottom of this post if you have ever encountered one. LO
Antiquarian Traders Showroom Videos
I ran across a few Antiquarian Traders videos on Youtube that I thought I'd share. For those of you who aren't unfamiliar with them, they are a Beverly Hills-based antiques dealer that has a large inventory of very high-
Galusha-Attributed Sofa Update
I received a note back from Stacy Pomeroy Draper, Curator of the Rensselaer County Historical Society which has some Galusha pieces in their collection. Thanks to Gordie for the thought to contact her. I asked her to wei
N.J. Auction Saturday June 7th
Just a quick note to the N.J. area readers that there is an estate auction tomorrow on Saturday in Vineland. It's hard to assess all the Victorian being offered from the pictures, but the above chair, frequently attribut
Why I Do The Research That I Do
The stand above is a good example of why I read and research Victorian Furniture to the extent that I do. When I first started collecting Victorian Furniture it was only so that I could put furniture in my home (built in
Is This Really a Galusha?
My knowledge of Elijah Galusha furniture is not where I'd like it to be but I don't think there is much out there to help the Galusha researcher to remedy that situation. The above sofa is being sold by Jenack Auctions a
Leon Marcotte in "American Furniture"
If you collect books and information on Victorian antiques and you are a fan of Leon Marcotte, you should nab a copy of this 1994 issue of American Furniture, edited by Luke Beckerdite. There is a 24 page article on Marc
Merklen Chair Weekend Puzzler Winner
Thanks to all who responded this weekend on the puzzler that I posted on Friday. Above you will find another version of the chair that was pictured and here you will find another version as well. The big differences betw
What's Wrong With This Picture? A Puzzler
This is a late 19th century spiral turned chair but there are at least two things about this chair that are out of the ordinary for this particular form by this particular maker. I'm heading out for the weekend, but will
19th Century Mahogany Gothic Cheval Mirror
I don't run across many Cheval mirrors that I would like to own save for a few nice Renaissance Revival and Merklen-style spiral-carved varieties, but this one with Gothic details caught my eye. This one is large - 7' x
Start Your John Henry Belter Collection
A Belter sofa for $1.00? That is what it is currently bid up to with no reserve price. This Belter furniture pattern is sometimes referred to as "Simple" or "Scroll" due to the smooth simplicity of the carvings. We often
Heavily Carved Dining Suite at Steven's Auction
Taking a quick glance at this set, many Victorian antique collectors familiar with the turn-of-the-century gods of Renaissance carved furniture (Horner, Flint, etc.) would assume that this piece was by R.J. Horner. Fortu
John Henry Belter Also Worked In Oak
This Oak armchair's side chair equivalent is featured in the John Henry Belter book in figure 23. This book is not directly attributing it to Belter in the caption but it seems to lay out the foundation by which this att
Egyptian Revival Mirror - Or, Is It Actually Grecian Revival?
Well, congratulations Rare Victorian readers. In a few days we've basically wiped out the Internet's supply of Victorian Detail books from several sellers. Those of you who nabbed one, you won't be disappointed. I'm hopi
Folk Victorian Dresser?
Without digging out every book in my library, I have not run into any materials that help me identify and date this particular piece. The seller is describing this as Folk Victorian but none of my books document this sty
Book Review: Victorian Detail by Priscilla S. Meyer
I had previously mentioned that I'd be giving you a little more of a review on my latest book purchase, Victorian Detail, by Priscilla S. Meyer, so here goes. Lise Bohm tipped me off to this book, as she occasionally doe
Bob Courtney Auction Underway
Bob Courtney's Spring 2008 sale is underway and has many pieces up for sale that Rare Victorian readers would be itching to own. The cabinet to the right is part of the sale and is attributed to one of my favorite cabine
Victorian All-In-One PC
Many of you enjoyed the Victorian monitor and keyboard so much I thought I'd alert you to this "Victorian All-In-One" that was produced by the same shop. The theme behind it's design is a Victorian performance stage, com
George J. Henkels Medallion Back Rococo Sofa
Just a quick note to point out that a familiar George Henkels-attributed sofa form popped up for sale on Ebay. There is a little mystery surrounding this particular sofa design. The book that I recently purchased, Victor
All Furniture Was Not Made In America
Sometimes I think that there is a rush to judge too quickly that antiques that we run across have been made in America. This bookcase is certainly a very nice one, but I think the tile inserts led the seller to believe i
Herter Brothers or R. J. Horner Satyr and Griffin Chair
I took a breather from Rare Victorian this weekend to attend to important priorities - gambling in Las Vegas. I'm sitting in the Las Vegas airport on the wireless with hours to spare before takeoff so I thought I'd perus
Antique Victorian Brunswick & Balke Billiard Table
For Victorian antique billiard table fans, this table made by Brunswick & Balke in 1878 is coming up at auction by Bob Courtney Auctions on May 17th. This is the best looking table I have ever laid my eyes upon and i
Chair Mystery Solved - Charles Klein
If you remember this post here, you would recall that I lose sleep over Victorian furniture attributions. Not really, but close. I just hate to see the same pieces over and over again show up in auctions and on Ebay, fir
How To Fake a Herter Brothers Piece
It's rare that these old furniture pieces made by our favorite cabinetmakers are marked so as to let their origin be known. It requires a learned eye to spot the details and to discern that a piece was made by one maker
John Henry Belter "Tuthill King" Pattern Recamier
I don't know about you, but there are so many bunches of grapes on this Recamier (or is it a meridienne?) that it makes me feel like I'm in a vineyard. This is an early John Henry Belter Recamier as evidenced by the appl
Rosewood Mitchell & Rammelsberg Etagere
You'd think I was on the Neal Auction payroll by the amount of furniture I've been profiling by them (I'm not), but as usual, their upcoming sale has a lot that Rare Victorian readers would be interested in owning, budge
Neo-Grec Pedestal Trifecta
If you remember the Dargate sale of one of these pedestals in March, you may remember that it went for $2,500. I'm surprised the seller hasn't broken this trio up to maximize the revenue, but thankfully we have a set her
Neo-Grec Ebonized and Inlaid Music Cabinet
For those of you who were wondering where the music stand went that I last profiled - it disappeared from Ebay and the auction house's website just prior to the sale and I don't know what happened. If you were all set to
Computer Testing Of Fabric Colors Before You Reupholster
To respond to Woodright's comments on a recent post I tested out my theory that computer software for simulation of room colors could be applied to testing colors on furniture before upholstering. I used a tool I purchas
19th Century Oriental Ebonized Gong Stand
I'm sitting here looking at Oak Creek in Talbot County, MD, having just watched 8 swans fly overhead. In a matter of weeks the famous Maryland Blue Crabs will be running and this area is famous for them in abundance and
Sometimes You Need To Imagine The End Result
I love it when labels are still intact on antique furniture and in this case, thanks to the Flomaton sale, Rare Victorian readers can now firmly identify this parlor set as being by Karpen Brothers Furniture when they en
I Was Kidding ...
Just a quick post to make sure everyone knew I was kidding on this post about the Quervelle-attributed sofa. I tried to lather it on thick so that it was hopefully obvious that I loved the sofa and was trying to farcical
Egyptian Revival Parcel-Ebonized Rosewood Chair
You know I've been reading too many auction listings when fancy-schmancy decorative arts nomenclature like "parcel", meaning partial, ends up in my blog post title. I can't believe it popped into my head. Anyhow, in case
Canada and UK "What's Hot" Added
In deference to Rare Victorian visitors from the UK and Canada which represent 2% and 4% of the traffic to this site, respectively, I have added country-specific links to the "Shop For Antiques" page. Don't worry, I'm pa
Unattractive and Undesirable Sofa at Neal Auction
Pay no mind to this Grecian (scroll back) sofa in the next Neal Auction coming up in the May 3rd and 4th sale. The carved Cornucopias, incised crestrail, and seat rail gadrooning speak nothing of Anthony Quervelle and hi
Pair of John Henry Belter Rosalie Meridiennes ... or are they Recamiers?
Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, MA is selling these twin John Henry Belter Meridiennes/Recamiers on the 26th of April. Condition seems to be fine on these two, which appear to be in the "Rosalie with grapes" pattern, thoug
"Victorian" Keyboard and Monitor
If there ever was a computer in the Victorian age, this is what the keyboard and monitor would look like. The "marble" base is actually paper printed from an image taken off of the Internet and the arms that support the
Bringing The 19th Century To The 21st Century
So what happens if you're stuck in the airport, or waiting at the DMV, or standing in line at the cash register with nothing better to do? How to pass the time? You check out what is going on at RareVictorian.com and Vic
1869 Patent Hunzinger Side Chair With Original Upholstery
I'ts nice to have the drudgery of the blog move done and get back to passing on some of the furniture that I'm running across. If I don't have to deal with another Nameserver for the rest of my life, it will be too soon.
Victorian Inspiration Gone Awry
Wrong, just wrong. However, it should probably make it into the next Manly Man's guide to Victorian antiques. More on this particular chair here.
My "Roadshow Find"
I didn't think that I'd ever have one of those home run finds where you paid a couple bucks at a garage sale and found that it was worth many times more than what you paid for it, but it happened on my birthday last week
Alexander Roux Attributed Cabinet Reaches $33,400 at Freeman's Auction
This Alexander Roux attributed cabinet went for $27,000 ($33,400 with buyers premium) which was significantly outside of the range that Freeman's had expected ...
Welcome To The New Rare Victorian!
Whew! So if you've been here before, you can see that things have changed, hopefully for the better. Yes, there are a few broken things that I couldn't handle before the move and I'm working on them... Hopefully you'll s
8 Foot Modern Gothic Dresser
The darkened pictures on this listing belie the quality of this very large Modern Gothic dresser. I doctored up this picture (lightened it) so as to give you a better grasp of the quality of this piece. Clicking on the i
Renaissance Revival Cabinet at Kamelot Auctions
Kamelot Auctions in Philadelphia will be selling this inlaid credenza on April 12th, but I imagine that their turnout will not be as strong this time around as they have timed their sale simultaneously with opening day o
Historic House Tour Weekend
I apologize for the lack of posts recently and will also apologize for possible continuation of that malady. My house was on the local historic home tour this past weekend and we have been gearing up for that for some ti
Alexander Roux "A Rose" Pattern Sofa and Chair
St. Charles Gallery is selling two pieces of attributed Alexander Roux furniture that they describe as being in the form of the "A Rose" pattern. This is my first exposure to this purported pattern. I am unable to find a
Victorian Canterbury
Here's a nice inlaid and gold-incised Canterbury (music stand) coming up for sale via Ebay Live Auctions. This form is a more tapered shape whereas I personally own one that is more of a squared-off shape. Since most of
Forum Post Contest Winner
Well, another Rare Victorian contest comes to a close and we have our winner. Thanks to everyone who contributed there, contest or not. We had approximately 300 new posts during the time period and no one was posting flu
R. J. Horner Original Catalog ca. 1888
Those of you who enjoyed seeing the Ornamental Wood Company catalog may be interested in reading about the R.J. Horner catalog I just acquired over on the Horner blog.
Tips for Buying Antiques Online
Not everyone has dipped their toes into the murky pool of buying antiques online. I wrote the following list of tips in the forum and thought I'd clean it up and post it on the main blog for a wider audience. Hopefully,
Matching Mortar Mixes For Historic Masonry Work
Ever see historic masonry patched up with white, modern mortar? Not a pretty sight.This is off-topic, but may be of help to others as it was for me. As an owner of an older home, I was having problems finding mortar that
Ornamental Wood Catalog Update
Many of you have expressed interest in seeing more pages of the catalog for the Ornamental Wood Company and I'm investigating ways to do this. I would not only like to provide this catalog, but others as well over time,
1874 Ornamental Wood Company Catalog
Well, I've been looking for something like this for quite some time. These are excepts from a 43 page catalog exclusively detailing ornamental wood pieces that furniture makers could purchase to incorporate into their fu
Victorian Antique Corner Shelf
As far as Victorian antique shelves go, I'm not sure if anyone saw this shelf go up for sale on Ebay, but I think this is up there with some of the better ones. With a 32" height it is also one of the taller shelves that
"What's Hot" in 19th Century Furniture
Every once in awhile I'll run the "What's Hot" Ebay search from the "Shop for Antiques" page to see what people are buying in the 19th century space and I just ran it this morning. Judging by what is there, it seems that
George Hunzinger Side Chair Patent March 30, 1869
I have put up a signed Hunzinger chair for sale on Ebay today and the sale will be running until Sunday March 30th. I have not run across this particular chair of his in pictures or otherwise. I'm particularly fond of th
Cottone Auctions - Winter 2008 Art and Antique Auction
Cottone Autions is having an auction this weekend and there are a few pieces of Victorian furniture going up for sale. Cottone is located in Geneseo, NY about 36 miles outside of Rochester. With a name like Geneseo, I ha
Special Mention - Emeriol's Hunzinger Blog
If you are a Hunzinger fan as I am, you need to be aware of Emeriol's Hunzinger blog. He has been a strong supporter of Rare Victorian over the past year and I wanted to return the favor. He regularly posts as I do about
Rare Victorian Featured on the Antique Trader Blog
As many of you are familiar, Antique Trader is a weekly magazine covering the Antiques and Collectibles marketplace and that they make much of the same content available on their website as well. You may or may not be aw
Victorian Splendor Cover Bed
Well, I missed something, and that is why your participation is key here. There's a lot of knowledge out there that we all could benefit from if everyone commented on blog postings and wrote in the forum (or just sent me
Cowan's Results and the NYC Pier Show
Ok Rare Victorianites, I think we were all asleep yesterday since the Hunzinger chair above went for $325 at Cowan's, which might be a recent record low for a chair of the style. Even if you shipped it to New Mexico, you
Victorian Furniture at Cowan's Auction This Weekend
There are a few items of Victorian furniture going up for sale during the Cowan's auction this weekend, including this pair of Meeks Stanton Hall armchairs. There's a second pair of Meeks side chairs that are also up for
The Pier Antiques Show in NYC, March 15-16
I'm heading to the NYC area for a concert tonight and since I'll be in the vicinity, I'm going to stay overnight and visit the annual Pier Antiques Show on Saturday. According to their promotional information, the show i
Renaissance Revival Bedroom Sets
Two fine three-piece Renaissance Revival bedroom sets are up at auction this week and one of them is seeing heavy bidding. With 6 days to go, the bedroom set above has 13 bids taking it up to $8,101. A newspaper stuffed
John Jelliff Items Slipping Through the Cracks
If you remember this post talking about common misspellings of furniture makers' names; well, if you're on the lookout for John Jelliff items, that blog post is playing itself out right now. There are 8 items listed with
Pottier & Stymus ca. 1871 Original Business Card
I thought that some of you might enjoy seeing this original Pottier & Stymus business card that I recently acquired. The address dates it to be 1871 and afterwards. Note the reference to Tiffany & Co. in the lowe
Victorian Table For The Equestrian
Here's a great early Victorian (1830-1840) table for hanging up your horse-riding boots after a ride in the countryside or for storing any other high-top style boots. The table appears to be in excellent condition; proba
Neo-Grec Pedestal at Dargate
Things seem a bit calm and quiet in the Victorian Furniture world right now. Maybe it is due to the recently flurry of good auctions and people are catching their breath. Could just be me feeling guilty after a recent an
Hunzinger Table Update
FYI, The table from the previous post is now sold. It only took about 2 hours.
Possible Hunzinger Table - and Cheap!
Considering the recent flurry of Hunzinger mania at the auctions as you remember from this post, and the fact that a "Hunzinger" shaving mirror went for $3,700 this past weekend. I thought I'd reward the Rare Victorian r
Grand View and Flomaton Auctions Today
This Renaissance Revival bed will be one of many Victorian Furniture items to go on the block at Grand View Auctions today. Click on the bed to see the full gamut of furniture pieces that they will be selling. Speaking o
The William P. and Emma C. Bancroft Bed
Recently, during one of my wife's painting weekends (she is making sure all the white walls in our home's upper floors adopt a real hue), we moved one of the beds away from the wall and I noticed this label on the back o
Hunzinger Heyday
I have this picture in my head of Wall Street traders' flailing arms with tickets in hand and yelling, "Buy, Buy, Buy Hunzinger!" That is about what it feels like with a recent series of Hunzinger purchases that have tra
Four-Piece Aesthetic/Eastlake Bedroom Set
I've put up for sale a 4-piece bedroom set accented with Birdseye Maple panels. Although it is a nice set, it doesn't fit the way I would like in the bedroom that I intended to use it in. I nabbed this set due to the Map
Forum Post Contest Update
An update on the leaders in the Forum new posts contest: Peakangus and 1881victorian are neck-and-neck, but it is still anyone's to win. If you haven't stopped by the forum and are a Victorian antique lover, this is your
Kilian Brothers Inlaid Parlor Table at Neal Auction
I happened to be perusing an old article from May '99 in The Magazine Antiques and noticed that this table at Neal Auction, attributed to Berkey & Gay, is actually in a photo from an 1870 catalog photograph. This tab
Proof That Credenza Depot Stores Existed
I'm retiring from trying to figure out what cabinet maker made a particular credenza as it is just a mind-bending exercise to do. Cabinet makers didn't need to make furniture from scratch; they could import components fr
Neal Auction Company's Winter Estates Auction February 23rd & 24th
Neal Auction Company's Winter Estates auction is coming up this weekend and will include a nice selection of high-end Victorian Furniture including the Herter Brothers' attributed sofa above. It reminds me more of a Gust
Pricing Your Antiques For Sale
My antique Victorian pricing research over the years has been a mishmash of looking at pricing on Ebay auctions for sale (current and closed) and Googling keywords appropriate to the piece I'm looking to sell. I might go
Innovative Horn Chairs by Wenzel Friedrich
This piece may not look Victorian, but you can't get more authentically Victorian than selling a piece to Queen Victoria herself! Wenzel Friedrich was a German immigrant residing in San Antonio Texas from 1853. He produc
Fontaine's "Exceptional Antique Auction" - February 23rd
For those of you who are avid VictorianForum.com visitors, you are already aware of this, that the Fontaine's auction is approaching and now the listings have hit Ebay. I've created a custom search that isolates just the
Completely Restored Regina Music Box From 1909
An anonymous commenter got the mystery device's name correct - this is a Regina, technically a ReginaPhone 240 Music Box and it plays 15 1/2 inch Regina discs. I've wanted one of these for a while but they are so highly
What Mystery Device Produces This Music?
The highly distorted image above is disguising the device that produces the beautiful sound that you will hear when you play the audio below. If you have a guess as to what type of device it is, post your guess into the
Modern Day Merklen Maker
Tom Webster is a wood turner from Indianapolis, Indiana and he sent me these photos of a Merklen-inspired table that he created from Curly Oak. I'm very impressed by the reproduction of the triple-spiral legs that Merkle
Eastlake Settee with Gothic Details
My Eastlake Search turned up the usual flood of newly listed furniture with Charles Locke Eastlake influences, but this one was interesting due to the Gothic elements that were pierce-carved into the seatback design. The
Indestructible Belter Furniture
Some of you have probably read something about John Henry Belter's secretive lamination process which comprised 7-9 layers of wood, usually Rosewood. Belter steamed and soaked the thinly (< 1.6mm) sawed layers of wood
How Original Do You Want It?
Here's a great Eastlake table that looks like it just came off the showroom in 1875 and I think it looks quite wonderful. The question is whether you want it to look gorgeous or like it should look 130 years later? My gu
fuelmyblog and USA Today Promotion
With thanks to Blogger and Podcaster Magazine, fuelmyblog is providing bloggers in their community the chance to get their blog promoted on USA Today's Blogger/Podcaster Guide located on the USA Today front page. USA Tod
Baccarat Style Glass Throne Chair
I wrote about collection diversity in my previous post about wicker chairs and here is certainly an item that will stand out in your collection. This chair is made of cut glass and is being sold by Doyle on February 13th
Hunzinger Rocker for Sale
Betty Sterling contacted me about wanting to sell her George Hunzinger rocker shown above. It has an 1882 patent stamp and his trademark duplex spring. The upholstery is it's original leather and appears to have an embos
Thomas Godey Renaissance Revival Cabinet
Doyle New York is listing this unlabeled cabinet as being done in the manner of Herter Brothers, but I think that there is a chance that it was made in Baltimore by Thomas Godey. It reminds me of a labeled Godey cabinet
1890s Victorian Wicker Chair in Excellent Natural Condition
I'm also a fan of Victorian wicker and own a nice Heywood-Wakefield chair in natural finish and two huge "peacock" painted wicker chairs that I keep out on the front porch. I like having variety in my antique collection
Another Early John Henry Belter Chair?
Charles, AKA "Peakangus" in the forum, sent me these photos of a Rococo chair that he owns that is possibly a Belter piece. A few characteristics that when combined point to it being by JH Belter: Hollow brass casters La
What Victorian Furniture is Everyone Else Bidding On?
Sometimes digging through Ebay for Victorian Antiques can be like hunting for a needle in a haystack unless you have some trusty searches set up. I've added a "What's Hot" search on the left side of the page to provide q
Determining When Antique Furniture Isn't Old
I ran into these photos on Craigslist yesterday as I was looking for a Victorian bed. Craigslist listings may provide some good deals but their minuscule photos do not provide any means of checking the condition of the i
1890s Cast Iron Victorian Roof Cresting
I have 120 feet of Cast Iron Roof Cresting that I am selling on Ebay across 3 lots. Cresting was generally used on Second Empire Victorians and unfortunately, many homes that have sported this feature have had them remov
Rare Hunzinger High-Back Lollipop Chair
I'm a big fan of George Hunzinger's work and when I ran across this unusual Lollipop chair by him I had to bring it home. I have never seen this chair in any of the auctions, Ebay or otherwise, nor in the Barry Harwood H
What Are Your Favorite Antique Stores?
A recent purchase of mine is the music cabinet pictured above and below. It is one of several finds that I've made at Stoudt's Antique Mall in Adamstown, PA. You gotta love an antique mall with 700 dealers and a brewery/
Somebody Got a Deal at $2,000
Just noticed that this Aesthetic cabinet that I was monitoring went for $2,000. I had actually opened the bidding window (it was live) to wait for the lot to come up but something distracted me and I never made it back.
Alexander Roux or Pottier & Stymus?
If you're new to Rare Victorian or you just missed the first-ever post, I'll mention again that this blog was initially created as a real-time journey as I educate myself in the niche of rare Victorian furniture. This bl
Early John Henry Belter Applied Crest Chair
This chair sold yesterday and I kinda wish I had bid on it. Those of you who have been in the Victorian Furniture world for longer than I may have run across this form before, but I have not. I believe that the seller co
The Next Rare Victorian Giveaway!
Time for the second Rare Victorian free giveaway! I have two of these, so I'm giving away a First Edition copy (1998) of Nadja Maril's, "Antique Lamp Buyer's Guide - Identifying Late 19th and Early 20th Century American
Best Place to Invest a Bonus - Victorian Furniture
I thought I'd pass on this article about where to spend your bonus - if you happen to be a banker. Although it's written in the UK and most of the Rare Victorian readers are in the US (and aren't bankers), I thought most
Common Misspellings of Victorian Cabinetmakers' Names
Is the name of the maker of the sofa above correctly spelled as Charles Boudoine, Badouine, Baudoine, Baudouin, or Boudouine? None of the above. The correct spelling is "Baudouine" (see image of his stamp below). I have
These Chairs Bother Me
It's like that annoying itch that you can't seem to get rid of. I've seen these chairs a hundred times and it seems that 1 out of 5 auction sales with decent Victorian items has at least one of them. They're on page 94 i
Questionable Antique Descriptions
I thought that I'd share a personal experience of an example of the problem with online antique descriptions. This scenario happens to involve a dealer, but I won't isolate dealers as the only individuals capable of misl
Road Trip!
I'm heading to Ohio for business meetings (for my day job) on Monday and Tuesday and I've decided to head there early for the weekend. I'm a University of Dayton grad and lived in Ohio for 7 years so I have friends to vi
Americans Have No History of Their Own
I ran across this Yorkshire Post newspaper article about the BBC and it's tendency to produce Victorian-era dramas (and scant more) on target with what I've always unconsciously felt. It seems that any time I channel sur
Hemingway Home Antique Furnishings
During my recent trip to Key West I toured the home of Ernest Hemingway, which was built in 1851 by Asa Tift. Tift was a salvage wrecker, meaning that he made a living recovering the crew, ships, and cargo when approachi
Alexander Roux Pietra Dure Table
Also commonly seen as Pietra Dura, Pietra Dure is the technique of using precision cut, highly polished rocks to create a painting in stone. I've never seen this technique used by the "big names" in Victorian furniture b
"In the Manner of" George Hunzinger
You will occasionally run across the phrase "In the manner of" within a furniture listing to denote a case where the seller is leaning (oftentimes strongly) against attributing a piece to a particular maker. Elements of